Axially slidable and axially discharging outlet element operated by pressure of contents



Patented June 5, `1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AXIALLY SLIDABLE AND AXIALLY DIS- CHARGING OUTLET ELEMENT OPER- ATED BY PRESSURE OF CONTENTS This invention relates to dispensing closures for collapsible tubes and particularly to a selfopening closure for such tubes.

It has been variously proposed in the prior art to provide collapsible tube closures which are adapted to open automatically when the tube is squeezed in the usual way to expel its contents. Such devices have in the past not been practical or feasible to produce commercially.

According to the present invention a tube closure is provided which opens readily andautomatically upon only the usual moderate squeezing of the tube and closes securely when squeezing pressure is removed. This practical and satisfactory operation is due in general to 'the overall design of my device and in large measure to the fact that the squeezing pressure is arranged to act against a diaphragm whose extent is equal to the full cross-sectional area of the tube, whereby a very substantial force is available for effecting the closure opening operation.

Conversely, the substantial opening force thus made available permits the employment of spring means of sufficient force to positively close the tube opening when squeezing pressure is terminated.

While a fully detailed embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in the following specification, it is to be understood that such embodiment is by way of example only, the scope of my invention being limited only as dened in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general elevational view of a collapsible tube having one form of the closure of my invention, portions of the tube being broken away to permit illustration on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical cross sectional view of the upper end of the collapsible tube of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but with the closure and its operating elements in open position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the closure assembly; and

Fig. '7 is a disassembled perspective view of two other elements of the closure assembly.

Throughout the several figures of the drawing like characters of reference denote like parts and the numeral I0 designates the usual main body portion of a collapsible tube having a head or 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-493) crown portion I I, generally of stiffer construction, and a throat I2 which, in the illustrated embodiment is of square or rectangular crosssection.

Fitted within the upper end of tube at about the point where the tube body I0 and crown II meet is a diaphragm I4 whose area coincides with the cross sectional extent and coniiiguration of the tube body itself. The marginal edges of diaphragm I4 are feathered as shown in Fig. 3 and are prevented from moving upwardly to any substantial degree by the rapidly reducing diameter of the crown II.

The diaphragm I4 may be of rubber or fabric, synthetic or natural, or of any other pliable and readily flexible material. The diaphragm has a square or rectangular central opening over which seats a base flange I5 of a squareor rectangular tubular member I6, shown in detail in Fig. 6. Tubular member I6 extends slidably into throat I2 of the tube proper and serves at all times to close oi the space within crown II from the interior of the tube body IIJ which contains the material for which the tube is provided, such as tooth paste, shaving cream, or the like.

This free space within crown II comprises a spring chamber and, as appears clearly from Fig. 3, a frusto-conical compression coil spring 20 acts between the upper interior portion of crown II and the upper surface of base ange I5 to normally urge the tubular member Ii and the diaphragm I4 to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein, as will presently appear, the tube is in closed condition.

A pair of resilient up-standing plate elements 2| and 22 comprise the closure proper and are illustrated in detail in Fig. 7. The element 22 has a pair of side ilanges 23 and 24 which abut plate element 2l when the elements are in assembled position in tubular member I6 as appears from Figs. 3 and 5, particularly the latter. It will be noted that flanges 23 and 24 of plate element 22 are at the lower part thereof so that the parts of 'both plate elements 2l and 22 above flanges 23 and 24 may be flexed toward each other from the free positions shown in Fig. 7.

A base flange 26 is formed at the bottom of plate element 2I and base llanges 2l, 28 and 29 are provided at the bottom of plate element 22. When the plate elements 2| and 22 are assembled upwardly through the central opening in diaphragm I4 and through tubular member I6 the base flanges 26, 2l, 2B and 29 seat against the under side of the diaphragm. The ange I5 and flanges 26 through 29 may be held in engagementA asta/19o with diaphragm I4 by the opposing pressures of spring 20 and the contents of the tube or they may be fastened by extraneous means if desired.

At their upper ends plate elements 2I and 22 are provided with head portions 3| and 32, respectively, which cooperate to close the throat of the tube as illustratedin Fig. 3. The parts are normally held in'this position by the downward force of spring 20 against base iiange I5. The heads 3I and 32 have cam surfaces 34 and 35, respectively, which engage the upper inside edges of throat I2 to retain the heads in 'the vthroatclosing position of Fig. 3.

At the junction of crown I I and throatI2 there is a tapered portion 36 which facilitates assembly of the plate elements 2I and 22 by camming the head portions 3| and 32 toward-eachother as they are moved upwardly toward throat -I2 during assembly.

However, when squeezing pressure is exerted against the tube body, diaphragm I 4 is forced upsistance of spring20. This movesplate elements 2I and 22 and tubular member I6 upwardly and cam surfaces '34 and 35` permit the heads to spread because of the natural tendency o1" elements 2I kand 22 to straighten. This spring tendency is 'augmented by the 'pressure of the contents of the tube passing upwardly between plate elements 2I and 22. It willbenoted from"Fig. 6 that two of the upper edges of tubularmernbers are recessed as at 31 and `38 to 5 permit the spreading "movement of heads 3I and 32. Whensqueezingpresfsure `on the tube is stopped spring 20 returns the Vparts from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 3.

What is 'claimed is:

A dispensing closure for a collapsible 'tube having a collapsible body portion, ahead at one end ments having closure heads which cooperate to fclose the outerend of said throat when in closed .position anda Avertical resilient plate element supporting each closure head from said diaphragm, Jsaidplate elements being biased to move apart and said heads having inclined lateral cam sur- -face's for engagement against the outer end of said `throat whereby upward movement of said diaphragm due to squeezing pressure on the tube body causes the closure heads to move outwardly from said throat and separate by reason of the bias of the plate elements, a compression coil spring acting between said diaphragm and the inner surface of saidhead for returning the 'closure heads to'throa't closing position when squeezing pressure on the tube body is terminated.

JOSEPH A. HORN.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references 'are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,859,382 CruzeV May 24, 1932 1,969,395 Chcone Aug. .'7, 1934 2,270,794 Feldmar Jan. `20, 1942 2,378,061 Buhler et al June l2, 1945 

